The Barren Arena: Stories of the 25th HG
by TaTa 10
Summary: It's the first quarter quell and the people of Panem are scared. Read about the journeys and the adventures of the tributes in the arena and discover who will become the victor of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Hunger Games, and who will lose everything in order to save the ones they love. SYOT open.
1. Chapter 1

The wood of my desk was cool against my cheek. I stared at the clock as the tedious minutes passed by. Five minutes left, four minutes left, three minutes left. I looked out the window at the ominous clouds blanketing the sky and hiding the sun. Something was nagging in the back of my mind as though warning me. Was it just the weather? Or was there something else clouding my thought process as my teacher rambled on about the importance of the Hunger Games? He was some capitol idiot no doubt. I wished he would see the world for what it really was now, a desolate, sad place. Sometimes I thought the world was made so that someone above could watch us fail over and over again. We were ignorant and small in a large world. We thought we knew everything, but really every day we discovered something new. Finally the loud bell rang. It was like a cool drink of water on a hot day. I grabbed my books and was the first one out of the classroom. The day was humid and I could feel a raindrop every now and then as I crept along the road. It was the kind of day that could stay gloomy all day or start pouring at any second.

My house wasn't far from the school. I paced my footsteps, not ready to go back to the chaos of my own home. These days my mom had trouble taking care of our little family.

The sky opened up halfway home and, as the rain poured down on me relentlessly, I raced for the small wooden cabin I called home. As I neared, the door to the dry house was a welcoming sight despite the craziness I associated with it. I raced in and shook off the drops of water from my jacket.

Outside the rain was already letting up. I sighed and curled up in a ball on the sofa. The soft cloth of the couch was too hot against my skin, so I sat up again and stared out the window at the diminishing raindrops, catching sight of my siblings trotting absently through the puddles.

I padded softly into the kitchen to do my homework. The cold kitchen tiles comforted me in a way our old sofa couldn't and I began to go through my bag in search of a pencil.

The door swung open groaning loudly.

"Luke!" Sophie squealed in a whiny voice, her cheeks flushed with annoyance. "Lilly tell him to leave me alone!"

Luke was practically on top of my sister pulling on her perfectly pleated braids. I sighed watching the two shove each other. It seemed like such a silly thing to be fighting over with the Quarter Quell coming up. There was always something they could fight about though.

This year was going to be the very first Quarter Quell; an event that marks the anniversary of the Hunger Games every twenty-five years. Quarter Quells are different than the regular version of the Games that we'd been seeing up until now, because the Gamemakers added a twist to the arena to make it seem more "interesting". There was a special ceremony in the Capitol for it and everything. In it a little boy dressed in a gold suit, walked up onto a stage to thunderous applause and handed the president a card in a simple white envelope.

"To remind the districts that the Capitol isn't without mercy, citizens are allowed to vote for their representatives in this year's Hunger Games."

The evil smile he had given the camera after the announcement still made me shiver.

Mom walked into the family room and sat down by the fire ignoring my two quarrelling siblings. Her eyebrows were set low over her eyes as she stared into the dancing flames. I wondered what had her so stressed. The wrinkles in her stern face seemed more obvious in the dull firelight, and her grey eyes seemed somber with the absence of her bright smile. I sighed again and went back to pretending to do homework. I doodled on my page absently, hoping that I could calm my mother before dinner. It was always unpleasant when my mom was unhappy. I let my mind wander for a while.

My day had been dull like always after my siblings arrived, we sat around doing homework, and arguing then laughing about it until my mom got home and we quieted down.

A loud knock at the door snapped me from my daze and silenced my arguing siblings. The door burst open revealing a cloud of peacekeepers who invited themselves in, their white uniforms unusually bright in our dingy home. I always thought it was strange that they wore white uniforms, suggesting that they were the good guys but in reality they were the opposite.

I watched as the three of them invaded our home. They looked so wrong in this setting as they filled the small living room. My mother didn't seem surprised. Instead there was a sad look on her face like she knew what was coming.

"Mary Carson?" The tall peacekeeper's voice was low and dull.

"That's me," My mother stood, looking petite next to the tall man.

"Your daughter Sophie has been selected for the honor of being a contestant to go into this year's annual Hunger Games."

I blinked not believing what I was hearing. I loved my little siblings more than anything in the world. I bit my lip not wanting to think about little Sophie in the games.

"What?" I demanded, standing swiftly and knocking back my chair, which clattered to the ground.

"Lily, sit back down," my mother said sternly. I frowned.

"That's not fair, why her?"

My mom shot me a death look, but I ignored it. I tried to keep my breathing even as I talked to the tall uniformed man.

"She didn't do anything wrong." He gave me a condescending look.

"We selected the contestants randomly miss," the man said in his dull voice. The room seemed closer than before. It wasn't warm and busy anymore, but instead hot, sticky, and crowded. I knew I had to get out of there.

"Miss Sophie will be one of ten children from district five who will be voted on to go into the arena. Five girls and five boys will stand on the stage in the center of town next week and the people from the district will vote on who is most," he hesitated for a word, "qualified, to go into the Hunger Games. In the mean time the contestants will be living in the justice building to await the votings."

My stomach churned remembering the twist for this years quarter quell; children from the district would be voted on instead of reaped this year and volunteering was not allowed.

I turned away from the peacekeeper. I couldn't look at him anymore. Instead I looked back at my little sister. Her blond hair was sticking to her forehead with sweat. She looked very pale, making her freckles stand out more than usual. She was small for thirteen and would never make it if she went into the Hunger Games.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and took off out the back door. I didn't want to see the look on my sister's face as they took her away. I couldn't stand to be in there any longer. My mother called to me but I kept running. Tears began to fall down my face as I took off for the woods. I curled up at the base of a pine tree near the tall fence separating the woods from the rest of District Five.

I thought I was far enough from my house but in my small district you could hear everything that was going on. I could hear my Sophie's screams and the clamor of bodies as they scrambled to kidnap my little sister. I clenched my fists over my ears desperately.

The night was hot and sticky, the rain from earlier making the air feel clouded and thick. The grass was damp from the showers and it made the legs of my pants wet too. There was a slight breeze that rustled my brown hair from where I sat. I wanted the capitol to leave us alone. Why did they have to pick on the districts? My father used to compare them to bullies. They picked on the people in the districts to feel more powerful but it never got them anywhere.

I squeezed my eyes shut trying to grasp a memory of my father. All I could remember when I closed my eyes was the loud gunshot that rang through the house and my father falling onto our wooden floor. I had been in his room when it happened and I had hurried to his aid. I remembered not understanding what was going on and being scared and uncertain. I had been only ten and Luke had just been born. I had sat there, my father's blood pooling around me and it took me a while to realize. Then I screamed and my mother rushed in. She told me to leave the room. Sophie wanted to know what was going on and why my knees were caked in blood. I told her it was grown up stuff and locked myself in my room. Greif took over the whole family after that. Luke grew up in a burdened family, alert at the crack of a stick. We protected him like he was our king. Him and Sophie both really, but we had failed Sophie. I shook my head and thought back to my father again. The image of him drowning in his own blood flashed through my memories.

That was all I could think about, not the smell of toffee and pipe smoke that followed him around, not my father's scruffy beard that he never shaved, not my father's kind green eyes my sister had inherited. My sister who was a contestant to go into the Hunger Games, my sister who could be dead in a month, my sister who I had just ran out on in her time of need.

I began to cry again, I couldn't stop. When I finally pulled myself together it was dark out. The crickets chirped in the grass and the stars shone like beacons while drops of rain adorned the plants. My father would have pointed out that it was a magical night, but I hardly noticed any of the little miracles. What I did notice was the blood on my wrists where I had dug my nails into my arms and the tears that stung my eyes and cheeks.

I choked back another sob and stood up, brushing off my pants. I knew I should head back to my house to help my family in their time of need, but instead I strayed farther away. I passed by the houses of my district. They were mostly five room houses two stories; a family room, a kitchen, and three bedrooms plus each had a small bathroom. They were simple, but larger than most of the other district's houses. I weaved in-between the houses and down the winding road.

The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air as I passed the bakery. Outside I could hear the squealing of the eight o'clock train that usually passed through our district. The dirt was soft beneath my feet and I kicked at it wearily. I had been so busy being relieved about the twist to the quarter quell I had never imagined one of my precious siblings could go into the games. I thought for sure we wouldn't be one of the ten kids to be voted on and even if we were we wouldn't be chosen. It was harder to be optimistic when Sophie was a contestant.

I eventually made my way home. All the lights had been switched off, and the only light there was the red coals; the remains of the fire. My mom and brother sat by the fire holding hands with their eyes closed. My mom looked up when she heard me enter. "Oh Lily," she sighed.

"I'm sorry mo-." She cut me off,

"It's okay honey, it wasn't your fault."

"It wasn't yours either," I said gently. She glanced at Luke then stood, and walked towards me. She took my hands in hers, and pulled me into the dark kitchen.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I need you to help me out around here now okay? If Sophie goes into the Hunger Games things are going to get really tough. I don't want you to talk about it around Luke. He's going to have a hard time with it as it is."

I nodded. I wanted to take care of Luke too. If keeping Luke as little exposed to the games as possible was what was best for him then that was what I was going to do.

"I know you won't let me down Silly Lily," I nodded again ignoring the nickname she used. It was the one my dad had called me by and I didn't like when she used it.

"I'm going to go put Luke to bed," I sighed.

"That's my girl," she beamed at me, making me uncomfortable. Really, I was just going to put him to bed to get out of this odd conversation.

"Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, honey." I hesitated. She never called me honey. She was acting weird. I wondered if this weird behavior was because of Sophie. I assumed it was.

I took off into the family room no longer feeling guilty about my little outburst earlier. My mom didn't follow me. She probably wanted to be alone. I left her in her dark solitude and went to be with my brother. I went to Luke and gently lifted his small body into my arms. I carried him to his bed and lay down next to him. His breathing was soft and even. His blond curls framed his perfect face, and in the moonlight he looked like a little angel.

"Lily?" his voice was soft and groggy.

"I'm right here," I said taking his tiny hand in mine. He snuggled up against me.

"Is mom okay?" He asked. I sighed remembering our odd conversation and leaving her in the pitch-black kitchen. Sophie was her daughter she must be devastated. I sighed and brushed away Luke's curls from his forehead.

"She's fine," I wondered if I was telling the truth. Probably not; no one was all right when their children went into the Hunger Games.

I pulled Luke against my chest. I would take care of him in the way I had failed Sophie.

"Go to sleep, Luke." He closed his eyes and was asleep in a few seconds. I envied him. I closed my eyes and tried to follow in his footsteps, but Sophie's horrified little face kept popping back into my mind. I thought of what my dad would do in this kind of situation. I missed my dad. I missed him more each day. He had never yelled like my mother did. He would have protected us. I couldn't stand to loose Sophie too.

With sudden determination I decided I would save my sister. If I could convince enough people to vote for someone else then I could prevent her from going into the games. I wouldn't give up on her. Not now. I couldn't lose her. My mother was counting on her going into the Games and her losing, but I wouldn't follow her lead. This was something I had to do. I would save my sister.

**This is a SOYT story so you can just PM me if you want to submit a tribute and I'll send you the form. I'm not accepting tributes through reviews so if you send one I will ignore it! I'll try to update soon, thanks! **

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	2. Chapter 2: Nim's Tragedy

**Nimelle Miller, District 9**

This wasn't fair, anger poured off of my small body. This was so unfair it hurt, but then again who ever said the Hunger Games were fair? No one. I was going into the Hunger Games for the second time! The last time I had gone I had been scared. Not this time though. Sure I was a little nervous, but I was much too busy being furious. What was my district thinking? Voting on me? I had already had my turn in the games; it was someone else's turn to go.

I was even more upset about Grey. What if something happened to him? What if I had to live without him? I pictured my best friend in my mind, to calm me down.

I could easily see his face in my head. His perfect cheekbones and facial features complimented by his dark hair and eyes. I could also see his lightly tanned skin and strong arms that always comforted me when I needed them. What if I lost all those things, all because of the capitol?

There was a small knock at the door in the room in the justice building, but my mom didn't wait for me to invite her in. "Nim!" My mother raced to me and enveloped me in a huge hug. When she pulled back I could see tears running down her bony cheeks. She had lost a lot of weight since I had come out of the games the first time; she looked so much less alive. Her eyes were still just as bright blue as they had been, but they had lost a certain spark in them. Her hair was wispy and unattended to, similar to mine. I let my mother rub my back soothingly as we sat down on the couch. I could see the rest of my family creep into the room over my mom's shoulder; my dad and my little sister, Via.

My mom brushed a pesky strand of strawberry blond hair out of my green eyes. She still didn't speak; there were very few words that could be said in this kind of situation. I was worried if I spoke tears of anger would begin to pour out of my eyes. I could feel my anger boiling up inside of me. My father came forward and said, "I'm so sorry Nim, this shouldn't have happened this way." I shrugged not wanting anyone's sympathy and not wanting to speak. My sister cried out softly and came to sit next to me wrapping me in a hug. I cursed the capitol for putting her through this pain.

"It's okay Via, I'll be fine," I managed, finally speaking. We all knew it was a lie, but no one called me out on it.

"It's not fair Nim! Why did they have to vote on you? You already had your chance!" No one needed to tell me, but I said to her gently,

"You can't change things now, it will be okay." She started crying softly into my shoulder. My family sat quietly around me for a moment before the peacekeepers burst into the room. My sister tightened her grip on my arm and they had to peel her off of me as she screamed. My mom just looked sadly at me and gave me one last kiss on my head. I squeezed her hand as they pulled her out the door. I wanted to get up and punch one of the peacekeepers but instead I shoved my hands in the pockets of my green dress. When the door closed again I felt even angrier than before. I knew that even if I got out of these games on top of the last ones I would be broken forever. And the capitol thought that was okay. What were they thinking? The first games had practically ruined me. I used to have a ton of friends, I used to be competitive, used to be pretty now I was just a shell. I would fall apart if I made it out this time especially without Grey. The door groaned faintly as another visitor entered the room.

Grey Looked at me through his dark eyelashes. "Hey," he said simply. I smiled slightly at him.

"Hey," He walked slowly over and sat down next to me. He reached out a comforting arm and put it around my shoulders.

"So, now we're going back into the Hunger Games," he sighed. Him saying it made it even more real.

"It's not fair Grey," I said trying not to scream. He patted my head gently.

"I know," he said simply. I groaned.

"Thanks for the support!" He chuckled.

"Welcome." I stood up and went to the window, steam practically rolling off of me. I stared out absent-mindedly.

"Are you even supposed to be in here?" He shrugged relaxed.

"Who cares, what more can they do to me? I'm already going into the Hunger Games for the second time." Grey too was a previous victor; chosen because the district thought victors would have more experience and more chance of winning.

"Our district is so stupid," I groaned. I caught his sympathetic nod out of the corner of my eye. "Do they really think it's fair to send us back in?"

"Relax, they just want some victors for a change,"

"Are you actually defending them?" He chuckled,

"Calm down Nimelle," I cringed at my full name. I gently turned towards him. The light green dress Via had forced me into spun lightly around my bony figure.

"I don't want to come out this time," I admitted becoming even more serious.

"I know," he sighed. "But you have to promise me you'll at least try." I hesitated, but nodded going back to sit with him.

"It would be so much easier to let the careers finish me off early."

"You have to think of your family."

"It would be easier for them too, you know it would be. They could finally get on with their lives."

"Think about me" the hope in his almost inaudible voice was distressing. I felt obligated to say yes.

"Fine Grey, for you." He smiled sadly. "I wish things didn't have to go this way."

"I know, Nim. I know." We sat quietly for another minute before Grey stood.

"See you soon," I nodded and he disappeared out the door. The room seemed extremely quiet and lonely now. I closed my eyes and felt the sun coming through the window. Might as well soak up my last few days I doubted I'd even make it past the bloodbath.

As the sun warmed my pale skin, I felt something inside of me stirring like it was awakening again. I snapped my eyes open and immediately it was gone. _What the heck?_ I thought. It was almost as though I had felt, but it couldn't be, hope? I shouldn't even think like that. To hope, was just being stupid. Either way I was going to lose. Even if I won the games I would lose Grey. The capitol was going to win just like they always did. They were stupid Jerks. I yanked at my hair and stood up again, restless. I was just going to let the stupid careers kill me, that was my plan and nothing was going to change that. I cringed, not even Grey.

** Sorry it took me such a long time to update, and sorry this is such a short chapter! I had writers block, but I think I'm over it now! I need more tributes so that I can write more chapters so send them in! XD Please review, it would make me very happy! **


	3. Chapter 3: The District's Revenge

**Waldon Lark, District 12 **

Waldon's heart beat fast, like a dark raven flapping its majestic wings in her chest. In the front of the bakery, she could hear Craycey, her best friend, rambling on about a rat she had seen in the store. "I'm telling you, it ran right past my feet!" There was no rat; it was merely a distraction so that Walden could steal a piece of bread. She pretended to read the labels on the breadbaskets. When the storeowner turned his head she snatched a loaf of fresh bread and tucked it under her jacket. It was warm against her chest.

"Come one Cray, forget the rat." Craycey looked at Walden with her big green eyes, which sparkled mischievously. She tilted her head as if asking _have you got it? _Walden nodded ever so slightly. Craycey waved fearlessly to the man then bounced out the doorway. Walden followed cautiously, not wanting to drop the bread. Outside it was a cool spring day. Her footsteps were soundless against the hard packed dirt. As she caught up to her friend, Craycey said softly,

"I'll bring it to your dad, you should go get ready." Walden shuddered. She had been picked as one of the six girls eligible for The Votings. All together there were twelve children picked this year, six girls and six boys. Only two would actually go into The Hunger Games though. The two would be voted on this year. The president had decided The Huger Games weren't exciting enough, so now every twenty-five years there would be a twist to the games. Walden thought it was sick, weren't The Hunger Games bad enough as it was? This year's twist was that the contestants would be voted on instead of reaped. The Votings had taken place last night, Walden had stood in front of all of district twelve while they chose the two kids that would be tributes. Now they would present themselves again this morning when the two children with the most votes would be announced.

Walden was supposed to be back at the justice building now, the children to be voted on had been taken into custody by the peacekeepers, but she was very sneaky. It came from stealing so much. Her and her friend Craycey had been stealing since Walden's mother died giving birth to her little brother, who also died at birth. This morning Walden had snuck out to spend a few last moments with her best friend; she refused to think that these would be their last free minutes together.

Walden gave Craycey one last squeeze before trudging off to her possible death sentence. Her mood felt heavy and grey like a storm cloud, but she refused to think that she would be the one voted as the female tribute.

Inside the justice building an uncomfortable breeze came from the humming air conditioner. Walden's father had said only rich people could afford something so luxurious. She didn't think it was such a luxury; it was making her cold. Wealthy people were stupid anyway, for who was so ungrateful for summer that they put in machines to disguise it? She shivered again as she slipped off her plain clothes and exchanged them for a black dress with a short ruffled skirt ending mid thighs and flats; if she was going to be broadcast all over Panam then she should at least look nice. After playing with her hair and trying to make it look nice, she finally gave up and left it down. When Walden was finished, she looked in the long cracked mirror on the back of the bathroom door; gasping she finally realized why everyone told her she looked so much like her mother. Her long auburn hair and huge doe eyes, made her look just like her Birch Lark. Now, in the beautiful black dress, she could almost imagine her mother smiling back at her from the mirror. Brushing away a few salty tears, Walden headed for the door.

Walden had never had an affinity for being in front of people. She was chatty in front of her friends, but mostly Craycey did all the talking. She heard the squeak of the microphone as the capital escort, Fauna, adjusted its stand. "Ladies and gentlemen," Fauna said in her odd booming voice, "You voted on twelve boys and girls from this district. Today they will stand before you as I announce the twenty fifth set of tributes for district twelve," she gestured toward where the twelve children stood and the boys began to lead Walden's lot out onto stage. As she stepped out in front of the crowd of people her stomach flipped. She gave a perfunctory smile at the people of district twelve certain that she looked vapid and unreal. Fauna read out their names as they emerged from behind the curtain, "Liam Monte, Tulip Elder, Walden Lark,"

The crowd was still and unmoving, as lifeless as Walden felt. She knew that if she went to the capitol then the people would be very much alive; they would be cheering loudly. She liked the quiet crowd better; they suited her mood. Fauna shuffled around on stage, and cleared her throat as though the crowd was being rowdy. Her bleach blond curls bounced up and down artificially, and her bright blue lips shone. They matched her silver dress, decked with large blue spirals; she looked incongruous with her platform shoes and long fake eyelashes.

The capital video began to play, blaring its soundtrack loudly. Walden tried to tune it out unsuccessfully. When it was over Fauna smiled right at her. Why did she just smile at me? She hasn't been making faces at anyone else, Walden thought. What if I'm the one getting called today? She pushed the thought out of her mind with much difficulty; she couldn't afford to think like that. "Ladies first," Fauna declared. She shifted around and then opened the first envelope in her hand. Again she looked up at Walden before she spoke, and Walden got an icy chill down her spine. "Walden Lark!" The crowd was dead silent. Swallowing the lump in her throat Walden stepped forward; she could feel the crowd's eyes boring into her skin like daggers. She stared blankly ahead as she approached the escort; she was determined to keep calm. Inside she was fighting herself trying to fight the tears. Out of all the girls, why her; why did she have to go? She suddenly felt extremely hallow as the words thief and liar popped into her head.

She remembered her father when he had been scolding her for stealing. He was angrier than she had ever seen him, with his face bright red. He had told her never to steal again, so Walden had simply stopped telling him about it. He had said that the district would get its revenge. They needed food to survive, but there were other ways to get it. Walden should have listened; now the district was getting their revenge.

The rest of the ceremony Walden zoned everything out. She didn't even catch the name of the male tribute that would be competing against her.

Fauna's heels clicked against the stage, as she made her way to the other side of the stage beckoning the two children toward her. Walden and the boy followed; she noted how tall he was. Someone so tall had an advantage on her in the games. "Right through here, dears." Fauna opened the door for the two tributes graciously, now Walden returned to the justice building for her goodbyes. She didn't know if she could handle any goodbyes at the moment. Pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes, Walden collapsed on the comfortable chair. If she was going into the hunger games, then she had to pull it together; weak kids never made it far. Walden pulled herself up and sat up straight in the chair with her shoulders squared; Walden Lark was not a quitter, she was going to fight.

**Sorry for the late update, I've been pretty busy lately! I really need more tributes, so if you're reading this but haven't submitted a tribute yet then PLEASE P.M. me and get the form so you can submit a tribute! And please review because I haven't had many reviews yet! Thanks! **


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